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As you’re building out your sustainable kitchen, one great addition is a non-plastic cutting board made from wood, such as cherry, walnut, or maple. Wood cutting boards are more durable than plastic ones, and they’re healthier for the planet.
By contrast, plastic cutting boards often pollute the environment during production and aren’t biodegradable. Plus, they can leach chemicals and plastic into our food. In fact, researchers found that cutting carrots on a plastic board can generate 50 grams of microplastics per year — the equivalent of 10 credit cards.
Personally, I prefer my meals without a side of plastic. To avoid these environmental and health issues, opt for sustainable hardwood cutting boards instead of plastic boards. Here are my picks for the best ones.
5 Best Hardwood Cutting Boards
Here are the best quality cutting boards without any plastic in them for a more sustainable kitchen.
1. Boos Boards (range: $50-$300)
This is my cutting board of choice in my kitchen. I’ve had three of these Boos cutting boards over the years, and I’ve even sanded down one of them to make it like new again. Boos Boards are thick, heavy (in fact, it’ll be hard to lift it if you get a really big one), and beautifully made.
You can get them in maple, cherry, and walnut options, and they come in both end-grain and edge-grain options (more on the difference between these terms below). I recommend the small and medium size edge-grain Boos Boards, from my personal experience.
About once every month or so (when I remember), I use the Boos Board “Mystery Oil” and Board Cream to treat my cutting board. These are also what you want to treat your board with if you sand it down yourself. The oil and cream rehydrate the wood and keep it lustrous and long-lasting.
On the forest sustainability front, the John Boos company is a member of the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). As an NHLA member, they’re “required to practice sustainable forestry and sound forest management.”
2. TeakHaus (range: $20-$110)
TeakHaus makes cutting boards out of — you guessed it — teak! These boards really show the grain and color of the wood. They also are generally thinner and therefore lighter than Boos Boards, so they’re a tad more portable for moving around your kitchen.
That said, you can get a thicker end-grain board that’s heavier than many of their other boards. Teak is generally a great wood for it strength, resistance to warping and cracking over time, and ability to get wet without rotting or decaying.
The natural oils in teak also provide an added benefit of being naturally antibacterial, making these boards a hygienic option for food prep and display. The teak used is harvested from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests, and the boards are pre-finished with a mixture of mineral oil and beeswax.
3. Brooklyn Butcher Blocks (range: $79-$370)
Brooklyn Butcher Blocks are known for the quality and craftsmanship of their cutting boards. They offer a range of high-end boards that are attractive and functional. These cutting boards are hand made from sustainably sourced hardwoods, such as walnut and maple. All of the materials are sourced from the United States.
Brooklyn Butcher Blocks come in several different sizes and shapes. Their signature feature is their end-grain construction, which minimizes the appearance of cuts and scratches over time.
The company also values sustainability in their production process. They use wood from local sources to reduce their carbon footprint and claim to use environmentally responsible practices in their workshop.
4. The Boardsmith Cutting Boards (range: $130-$340)
The Boardsmith is a family-run company that specializes in beautiful handmade, end-grain cutting boards. Their cutting boards can withstand heavy use and are gentle on knife edges.
This company uses premium hardwoods like maple, walnut, and cherry, which provide excellent durability and resistance to cuts and also enhance the aesthetic appeal of their boards.
The wood’s natural grain patterns stand out beautifully in each piece, making every board unique. The Boardsmith uses high-grade hardwoods that come from sawmills that use FSC-certified sustainable forestry practices.
5. RVA Cutting Boards (range: $89-$179)
RVA makes its heavy duty cutting boards out of solid cherry, maple, walnut, or a mix of these woods. The mixed boards are particularly striking to look at. They include hand grooves to help you move your board, and they can be used on either side (unless you opt for the optional rubber feet, in which case you’ll just use one side).
RVA cutting boards are finished with mineral oil. You can opt for a juice groove that collects liquids around the side of this cutting board. You can also order customized or personalized boards from the company, which make beautiful holiday gifts.
Is End-Grain Or Edge-Grain Wood Better?
You’ll notice I mentioned some of these boards are end-grain, while others are edge-grain. So, what do these terms mean, and which is better?
End-grain boards have visible tree rings on the working surface and are generally more knife-friendly. The knife blade finds its way into the teeny spaces between wood fibers, which then close back up as the blade is removed. The end-grain board’s ability to restore itself after cutting means it generally gets less severe scratches compared to other types.
By contrast, on edge-grain boards, the knife cuts across the wood fibers. This tends to dull the knife more quickly and results in deeper cuts in the wood. Over time, this can lead to more wear than you’ll see on an end-grain board.
Because of their durability, end-grain boards tend to be pricier than edge-grain boards. They can run into the hundreds of dollars for one cutting board.
End-grain boards also contain more glued seams, which are potential weak points in the board. These seams may lead to a higher risk of failure over time, so it’s really up to you whether you want to splurge on the end-grain or go with edge-grain cutting boards.
What Is FSC Certification?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is a mark of responsible forestry for manufacturers that create products out of wood. The certification is globally recognized, and it ensures that the wood products come from responsibly managed forests.
If a cutting board company has FSC certification, it means that the wood used in its cutting boards comes from forests that are managed in a way to preserve their biodiversity.
FSC certification also makes sure that the forest operations meet comprehensive and rigorous environmental standards. This includes protecting water quality, prohibiting the harvest of old-growth forests, preventing loss of natural forest cover, and restricting highly hazardous chemicals.
Is Wood As Sanitary As Plastic?
Many people have heard that plastic is easier to clean and thus more sanitary than wood, which has larger pores, especially with raw meats like chicken.
Plastic does initially have an advantage in terms of sanitation due to its less porous nature. However, over time, as it accrues scratches where bacteria can hide out and grow in, plastic boards become harder to clean thoroughly. As a result, you’ll need to replace a plastic cutting board more often.
On the flip side, research indicates that fine-grained woods, like maple, can draw bacteria away from the surface through capillary action. Once inside the board, these bacteria eventually break down.
The best thing you can do to keep your cutting board clean is use hot water and soap to thoroughly wash it after use. Another strategy is to have at least two different cutting boards — one for your raw meats and one for veggies, breads, and other non-meat foods. That way you reduce the risk of cross contamination of the bacteria that hides out in raw meat.
Hardwood is more resilient to surface damage and can withstand more wear than plastic can before scratches become an issue. Another benefit of wood is that it can be sanded down, which renews the surface, a restoration process that’s simply not possible with plastic boards.
I sanded down my cutting board with a circular sander over the summer, then treated it with mineral oil and cutting board wax, and it looks as good as new again. I highly recommend this option rather than buying new if you can!
Opting For Hardwood Cutting Boards Instead Of Plastic
Choosing a hardwood cutting board over a plastic one is not just a simple decision about a kitchen tool. Hardwood boards, with their durability, natural antibacterial properties, and gentle impact on your knives, offer a better experience with your food preparation. These boards also bring a touch of nature and hand crafted artistry to your kitchen.
On the other hand, plastic boards, while initially convenient, quickly show wear and aren’t so great for the planet. The manufacturing process involves fossil fuels, which adds to greenhouse gases, and plastic isn’t biodegradable. Plus, cutting on a plastic board can release unhealthy chemicals like BPA (Bisphenol A) and phthalates, as well as microplastics into your food and the environment.
By opting for a hardwood cutting board, you’re investing in an item that’s eco-friendly, long-lasting, and fun to use – a choice that ultimately benefits you, your cooking, and the planet. For more eco-friendly picks for your kitchen, check out our favorite non-toxic pots and pans and bakeware.
